Ice maker control chute

ABSTRACT

A control chute supported in an inclined position with one end adjacent an ice-making machine and the other adjacent an ice storage bin, comprising a hollow-walled conductor provided with an inlet opening at its upper end and a discharge opening at its lower end, a deflector adjacent the inlet opening for deflecting ice supplied through the inlet opening toward the discharge opening, and a displaceable panel supported above the inlet opening operable, when displaced by ice backing up into the conductor, to operate a switch which in turn will stop the icemaker. Spring means yieldably opposing displacement until a predetermined compaction of the ice takes place in the conductor.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Nicholas Pizzi Belmont, Mass. 21 Appl. No. 819,808 22 Filed Apr. 28, I969 [45] Patented June 1, 1971 [73] Assignee Beatrice Foods Co.

Chicago, Ill.

[54] ICE MAKER CONTROL CHUTE 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 62/137, 62/344, 200/6l .2, 222/56 [51] lnt.Cl F25c 5/18 [50] Field ofSearch 62/!37, 344; 200/612, 61.2l; 222/56 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,934,9l2 5/1960 Rodgers 62/137 Primary Examiner-William E. Wayner Att0meyRoberts, Cushman & Grover ABSTRACT: A control chute supported in an inclined position with one end adjacent an ice-making machine and the other adjacent an ice storage bin, comprising a hollow-walled conductor provided with an inlet opening at its upper end and a discharge opening at its lower end, a deflector adjacent the inlet opening for deflecting ice supplied through the inlet opening toward the discharge opening, and a displaceable panel supported above the inlet opening operable, when displaced by ice backing up into the conductor, to operate a switch which in turn will stop the icemaker. Spring means yieldably opposing displacement until a predetermined compaction of the ice takes place in the conductor.

PATENTED JUN H97:

W L u I mlllllnll I I u ICE MAKER cormzor. CIIUTE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The control of ice-making equipment to maintain a storage bin filled with ice by starting and stopping the ice-making machine used in conjunction therewith is not new and various types of switches actuated by proximity or actual contact with the ice as it builds up in the bin is conventional. Such control, however, does not take into consideration that it is desirable to compact the ice to some extend both in the bin and between the bin and the icemaker before stopping the ice-making machine to minimize melting and to insure efficient operation and efficient use of the storage space. The present invention is designed to afford the aforesaid advantages but without freeze up of the ice in the icemaker.

SUMMARY in an inclined position to gravitationally deliver ice supplied through an opening at its upper end to and through a discharge opening at its lower end into the bin. The chute comprises a walled conductor having top, bottom and sidewalls and is provided with a panel adjacent its top wall which normally clears the ice delivered through the inlet opening in its bottom wall but is displaceable by an accumulation of ice in the conductor when the bin becomes fillcd to such an extent that ice backs up into the conductor into engagement therewith and is operable by such displacement to effect actuation of the switch to stop the ice-making machine. A deflector is mounted on the bottom wall of the conductor at the upstream side of the inlet opening and is provided with a first inclined surface adapted to deflect the ice entering the inlet opening toward the discharge opening and a second deflecting surface inclined upwardly toward the panel operable to compact the ice between it and the panel sufficiently to effect elevation thereof when the conductor becomes filled with ice. A switch-actuating arm secured to the panel and movable therewith is provided with vertically spaced means adapted to be engaged, respectively, with a spring and a switch in succession, the spring being adjustable to. oppose displacement of the panel until a predetermined compaction of the ice takes place.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is an elevation of the ice bin level control chute;

FIG. 2 is an elevation broken away in pan showing an initial state in the operation of the control chute; and

FIG. 3 is a corresponding view showing the operative position of the control chute.

The control chute indicated generally at is for the purpose of starting and stopping an ice-making machine so as to prevent ice backing up into the ice-making machine and causing freeze up. Since the chute comprises the invention and the ice-making machine and storage bin are only incidental, the latter are illustrated only diagrammatically at 12 and 14 by broken lines in their relation to the chute.

The chute 10 is inclined, comprising a hollow-walled conductor 16 having top, bottom and sidewalls 16a, 16b and 160. The lower end of the conductor terminates in a discharge opening 16d adjacent the open top of a bin 14 to which ice is gravitationally delivered from the conductor. The upper end of the conductor is provided with a horizontal portion 18 of similar cross section and provides a rectangular chamber 20 into which ice is delivered through a bottom opening 22 in the bottom wall 16b from the ice-making machine 12. Within the chamber 20 at the left side of the opening 22 there is a deflector 24 having an inclined surface 26 which extends upwardly toward the top wall and forwardly toward the discharge opening 16d and an inclined surface 28 extending upwardly and rearwardly away from the discharge opening toward the top wall. As ice is delivered by the ice-making machine into the chamber 20 the upwardly and forwardly inclined surface 26 deflects the ice in the chamber toward the inclined portion and from thence into the upper end of the inclined portion so that it gravitates into the bin.

At the top of the chamber 20 there is a pivotally mounted panel or cover 30 which may comprise part or all of the upper wall of the chambervAs illustrated, it comprises the entire upper wall and is pivotally mounted thereto at its right end by pins 32 supported by the sidewalls of the chamber. The distal end of the cover 30 has secured to it a bracket 34 which projects downwardly therefrom and which has at its lower end a stepped portion comprising vertically spaced knees 36 and 38. A switch box 40 is mounted on a bracket 42 secured to a wall of the chute in a fixed position adjacent the bracket 34 and contains an opening 40a through which the knee 36 extends and supports the knee 38 within the housing. The opening in the housing is large enough to permit the knee 34 to move up and down therein in consonance with the movement of the cover up and down. A switch S is mounted in the housing with its actuating pin s disposed vertically above the knee 38 and in spaced relation thereto when the latter is in its lowermost position (FIG. I) as when the cover is closed. The switch hous'ng has fixed to it a bracket member 44 in which there is mounied a rod 46 supported at its upper end by a nut 48. The lower end of the rod has a head 50 on it and a coiled spring 52 is mounted on the rod between the bracket 42 and the head 50. When the cover is closed (FIG. 1) the head 50 is spaced vertically above the knee 36. By adjusting the nut 46 the initial position of the head with respect to the knee may be varied. The switch S as related has a switch-actuating pin s which is yieldably held extended so that actuation of the switch does not take place until the switch pin s has been displaced through an appreciable distance.

In the condition of the chute as shown in FIG. 1, the bin 14 has not yet been filled with ice and so the cover 30 occupies its normally closed position covering the top of the chamber, its own weight being sufficient to hold it closed. In this position the head 50 of the spring-pressed rod 46 is above the knee 36 and the switch-actuating pin s is above the knee 38. As the icemaker continues to make ice and deliver it into the chamber and hence to fill the bin 14 the ice begins to back up into the chamber 20 to a level such that it rises above the deflector 24 and begins to pile up on the upwardly and rearwardly inclined deflector surface 28 and ultimately by engagement with the underside of the cover 30 to begin to raisethe latter. Initial movement of the cover upwardly as the ice accumulates beneath it raises the knee 36 into engagement with the head 50 which prevents further upward movement until the spring compresses. At this point (FIG. 2) the ice is not packed with any degree of density and since it is desirable from the standpoint of efficient operation for compacting to take place to some extent before the ice-making machine is stopped, the spring is designed to resist displacement of the cover until the ice is substantially solidly packed in the chamber. During the period of compaction and until the spring 52 becomes fully compressed the knee 38 is not moved upwardly far enough to actuate the switch S due to the overrun of the switch pin 3 previously referred to. As soon as the proper degree of compaction is reached (FIG. 3) and the spring 52 completely compressed the switch S is actuated to open the motor circuit of the ice making machine.

When ice is drawn off from the bin 14 sufficiently so that ice in the chamber 20 is permitted to gravitate into the bin and thus relieve the pressure in the chamber 20, the cover 30 will be returned to its horizontal position by the spring 52 thus depressing the knee 36 whereupon the switch S is activated to restart the ice making machine. It will be observed that the overrun of the switch pin s maintains the pressure during descent of the cover to its closed position.

The control means as described is comparatively simple in its construction and operation and provides more than a mere starting and stopping control for ice-making and ice storage equipment in that it enables compacting the ice to a degreeof density before operation takes place thereby providing for efficiency in operation and efficient use of storage space.

The entire wall structure of the chute is, of course, insulated, a portion of the insulation being shown at 54, to prevent loss of heat and melting of the ice while travelling from the icemaker to the bin and while in the chute to minimize the oc currence of water.

lclaim:

l. A chute through which ice is adapted to be delivered from an ice-making machine to a storage bin, said chute having an inclined portion adapted to gravitationally deliver ice supplied thereto into the bin, and a substantially horizontal walled portion having a bottom, sidewalls perpendicular thereto and an open top, a panel mounted over the open top in spaced parallel relation to the bottom, said panel being substantially coextensive in width and length with said horizontal portion and being yieldably held engaged with the open top, said panel normally clearing the ice delivered by the icemaker to the conductor but being displaceable by an accumulation of ice in the conductor due to filling of the bin to a level such that the ice backs up into the conductor, and a switch operably by displacement of the panel, said switch being adapted to be placed in the circuit of the ice-making machine to stop the machine.

2. A chute adapted to receive ice from an ice-making machine and gravitationally to discharge it into a storage bin, comprising a walled conductor having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing an inlet opening for receiving ice from an ice-making machine and said bottom wall and sidewalls defining a discharge opening for delivering ice introduced thereto to the storage bin, a deflector mounted in the conductor in a position to divert ice delivered through said inlet opening toward the discharge opening, a movable panel corresponding in width and length to the open top, said panel being yieldably held engaged with the open top and being adapted to be displaced by an accumulation of ice in the bin such that it backs up into the conductor beyond the deflector, and a switch operably by displacement of the panel, said switch being adapted to be placed in the circuit of the icemaking machine to stop the machine.

3. An inclined chute through which ice is adapted to be delivered from an ice-making machine to a storage bin, said chute comprising a hollow-walled conductor having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing a bottom opening through which ice is adapted to be delivered thereto from an ice-making machine, said bottom wall and sidewalls defining a discharge passage having at its lower end an opening for gravitationally delivering ice therefrom into the bin, a deflector mounted in the conductor at the upstream side of the bottom opening and inclined toward the discharge end, said deflector terminating short of the top of the conductor and operating to direct the ice toward the discharge opening at the lower end of the conductor, a movable panel corresponding substantially in width and length to the open top yieldably mounted over the open top of the conductor, said panel being adapted to be displaced by an accumulation of ice in the bin which causes it to back up into the conductor beyond the deflector, and a switch operably by displacement of the panel, said switch being adapted to be placed in the circuit of the ice making machine.

4. A chute for transferring ice from an ice-making machine to a storage bin for temporary storage, comprising an inclined hollow-walled conductor having a bottom wall, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing an inlet opening near its upper end through which ice from an ice-making machine is adapted to be introduced into the conductor and said bottom wall and sidewalls defining a discharge opening at its lower end from which ice is adapted to gravitationally slide into a bin, a deflector at the upstream side of the inlet opening for directing ice entering the conductor through said bottom opening toward the discharge opening, a displaceable panel corresponding substantially in width and length to the open top of the conductor situated at said ogen top and yieldably he d engaged therewith, said panel emg adapted to be deflected by an accumulation of ice in the conductor, means yieldably opposing displacement of the panel up to a predetermined compacting pressure created by an accumulation of ice within said conductor above the level of the deflector, and a switch operable by ultimate displacement of the panel to stop the ice machine.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a switch supported adjacent the panel in a fixed position in relation to the chute, a switch-actuating arm mounted on the panel with a portion adjacent the switch, operable by displacement of the panel to engage said switch and actuate the same, and a spring yieldably supported adjacent the arm opposing movement of the arm into engagement with the switch during the initial displacement of the panel.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a switch supported adjacent the panel in a fixed position in relation to the chute, a switch-actuating arm mounted on the panel for movement therewith, said switch-actuating arm having a part normally spaced from the switch when the panel is undisplaced, a spring supported with an end in a position to be engaged by displacement of the arm as the panel is displaced prior to engagement of the arm with the switch, and means for adjusting the initial position of the spring relative to the arm.

7. A chute for transferring ice from an ice-making machine to a storage bin for temporary storage, comprising an inclined hollow-walled conductor having a bottom wall, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing an opening near its upper end adapted to be connected to the discharge from an ice-making machine, and said bottom and sidewalls defining a discharge passage having at its lower end a discharge opening adapted to be connected to a bin within which ice is to be stored, a deflector at the upstream side of the inlet opening for directing ice entering the conductor through said bottom opening toward the discharge opening, a displaceable panel substantially coextensive in width and length with the open top of the conductor situated above the inlet opening in the bottom, said panel being adapted to be displaced by an accumulation of ice in the conductor such that the ice rises above the deflector, and means normally yieldably opposing displacement of the panel until a predetermined compaction of the ice takes place within the conductor.

8. A chute according to claim 7, wherein the conductor has at its upper end a horizontal portion having a closed end, said horizontal portion having within its bottom wall the inlet opening and at the top the panel, the latter constituting a cover therefore, and wherein the deflector is situated in said horizontal portion against the end wall transversely between the sidewalls. 

1. A chute through which ice is adapted to be delivered from an ice-making machine to a storage bin, said chute having an inclined portion adapted to gravitationally deliver ice supplied thereto into the bin, and a substantially horizontal walled portion having a bottom, sidewalls perpendicular thereto and an open top, a panel mounted over the open top in spaced parallel relation to the bottom, said panel being substantially coextensive in width and length with said horizontal portion and being yieldably held engaged with the open top, said panel normally clearing the ice delivered by the icemaker to the conductor but being displaceable by an accumulation of ice in the conductor due to filling of the bin to a level such that the ice backs up into the conductor, and a switch operably by displacement of the panel, said switch being adapted to be placed in the circuit of the ice-making machine to stop the machine.
 2. A chute adapted to receive ice from an ice-making machine and gravitationally to discharge it into a storage bin, comprising a walled conductor having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing an inlet opening for receiving ice from an ice-making machine and said bottom wall and sidewalls defining a discharge opening for delivering ice introduced thereto to the storage bin, a deflector mounted in the conductor in a position to divert ice delivered through said inlet opening toward the discharge opening, a movable panel corresponding in width and length to the open top, said panel being yieldably held engaged with the open top and being adapted to be displaced by an accumulation of ice in the bin such that it backs up into the conductor beyond the deflector, and a switch operably by displacement of the panel, said switch being adapted to be placed in the circuit of the ice-making machine to stop the machine.
 3. An inclined chute through which ice is adapted to be delivered from an ice-making machine to a storage bin, said chute comprising a hollow-walled conductor having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing a bottom opening through which ice is adapted to be delivered thereto from an ice-making machine, said bottom wall and sidewalls defining a discharge passage having at its lower end an opening for gravitationally delivering ice therefrom into the bin, a deflector mounted in the conductor at the upstream side of the bottom opening and inclined toward the discharge end, said deflector terminating short of the top of the conductor and operating to direct the ice toward the discharge opening at the lower end of the conductor, a movable panel corresponding substantially in width and length to the open top yieldably mounted over the open top of the conductor, said panel being adapted to be displaced by an accumulation of ice in the bin which causes it to back up into the conductor beyond the deflector, and a switch operably by displacement of the panel, said switch being adapted to be placed in the circuit of the ice making machine.
 4. A chute for transferring ice from an ice-making machine to a storage bin for temporary storage, comprising an inclined hollow-walled conductor having a bottom wall, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing an inlet opening near its upper end through which ice from an ice-making machine is adapted to be introduced into the conductor and said bottom wall and sidewalls defining a discharge opening at its lower end from which ice is adapted to gravitationally slide into a bin, a deflector at the upstream side of the inlet opening for directing ice entering the conductor through said bottom opening toward the discharge opening, a displaceable panel corresponding substantially in width and length to the open top of the conductor situated at said open top and yieldably held engaged therewith, said panel being adapted to be deflected by an accumulation of ice in the conductor, means yieldably opposing displacement of the panel up to a predetermined compacting pressure created by an accumulation of ice within said conductor above the level of the deflector, and a switch operable by ultimate displacement of the panel to stop the ice machine.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a switch supported adjacent the panel in a fixed position in relation to the chute, a switch-actuating arm mounted on the panel with a portion adjacent the switch, operable by displacement of the panel to engage said switch and actuate the same, and a spring yieldably supported adjacent the arm opposing movement of the arm into engagement with the switch during the initial displacement of the panel.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a switch supported adjacent the panel in a fixed position in relation to the chute, a switch-actuating arm mounted on the panel for movement therewith, said switch-actuating arm having a part normally spaced from the switch when the panel is undisplaced, a spring supported with an end in a position to be engaged by displacement of the arm as the panel is displaced prior to engagement of the arm with the switch, and means for adjusting the initial position of the spring relative to the arm.
 7. A chute for transferring ice from an ice-making machine to a storage bin for temporary storage, comprising an inclined hollow-walled conductor having a bottom wall, sidewalls and an open top, said bottom wall containing an opening near its upper end adapted to be connected to the discharge from an ice-making machine, and said bottom and sidewalls defining a discharge passage having at its lower end a discharge opening adapted to be connected to a bin within which ice is to be stored, a deflector at the upstream side of the inlet opening for directing ice entering the conductor through said bottom opening toward the discharge opening, a displaceable panel substantially coextensive in width and length with the open top of the conductor situated above the inlet opening in the bottom, said panel being Adapted to be displaced by an accumulation of ice in the conductor such that the ice rises above the deflector, and means normally yieldably opposing displacement of the panel until a predetermined compaction of the ice takes place within the conductor.
 8. A chute according to claim 7, wherein the conductor has at its upper end a horizontal portion having a closed end, said horizontal portion having within its bottom wall the inlet opening and at the top the panel, the latter constituting a cover therefore, and wherein the deflector is situated in said horizontal portion against the end wall transversely between the sidewalls. 